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February 13, 2020
AG Barr: Trump Needs to Stop Tweeting About Open DOJ Matters Under My Jurisdiction; The Tweets "Make It Impossible for Me to Do My Job"
I mean: True.
In an exclusive interview, Attorney General Bill Barr told ABC News on Thursday that President Donald Trump "has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case" but should stop tweeting about the Justice Department because his tweets "make it impossible for me to do my job."
Barr's comments are a rare break with a president who the attorney general has aligned himself with and fiercely defended. But it also puts Barr in line with many of Trump’s supporters on Capitol Hill who say they support the president but wish he'd cut back on his tweets.
Barr is one of the few people in Trump's administration I trust. Does Trump trust him? Is he capable of hearing advice and adjusting his behavior?
Well, we've seen no signs thusfar. But I guess we can hope.
"I think it's time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases," Barr told ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas.
The DOJ was already reviewing the insane Stone sentencing recommendations and preparing to overrule the rogue prosecutors. But Trump's tweets make it seem like Barr is making political decisions at Trump's behest.
Which Barr is actually permitted to do, and Trump is permitted to order him to do.
But this causes unnecessary problems -- and now new calls for the only man I trust in the DOJ to recuse himself or appoint another Special Counsel.
Which is the same playbook they ran with Sessions -- where it worked.
Can it work again? Can the Democrats make a conflict-of-interest allegation and then get a Democrat Deep Stater in the DOJ to issue a memo offering the opinion that the AG should recuse?
I wouldn't bet against that. And I sure wouldn't help the Democrats run the Sessions Playbook on Barr.
Trump cannot make Barr appear to be his political catspaw and expect Barr to remain the AG. And to avoid recusing himself.
And Trump should really, really want Barr to remain the AG and avoid recusing himself.